Get to the Cruise the day before - Part 1

[patrick401ca]

I fly a lot for work and flights are delayed, cancelled etc. all the time. You should always come to the departure port at least a day early. This is especially true if you are flying in the north in the winter. Having a connection doubles your chances being significantly delayed.

 

I often go down TWO days early in the winter, because I am flying in from Toronto. Departure ports usually are fun places and a couple of extra days in FLL or MIA before you start is actually a nice way to start your vacation.

 

I have been in the departure area for a flight travelling on business when a flight was cancelled and watched a couple have a meltdown because the cancellation meant that they were going to miss their cruise. The airline was sympathetic but if the plane you are supposed to be on is snowed in another city there is nothing they can do.

[boopsahoy]

Really enjoyed this thread! I now appreciate even more the ships out of manhattan (I live in brooklyn) Hop in a cab (reserved the night before) and no the ship in 2 hrs.

[Sheils65]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading all about your adventure. Especially when the cab driver stopped for an espresso and then you started moving!!! LOL...Glad everything turned out ok.

[willysgrandma]

Thanks for sharing - this is one of the most unusual stories I've ever read here. I assumed you got caught up in the AA pilot slowdown, but this happened almost 2 years ago.

 

It is a great warning that it is much less expensive to stay one of two nights before your cruise. Thanks for the posting this for the naysayers who think it can't happen to them.

[Northern Bear]

We found out the hard way, where we live if you take a charter flight they close the gate an hour before the flight and let NO ONE on once the gate is closed. All you can do is watch it leave.

Makes for a good story after the fact...

:D

[blindrid]

If we ever get to fly across the pond, I will have at least one day (hopefully more) just for sleep & adjusting to the time difference. Even if the OP had made the ship just in the nick of time, it would take me a couple of days to wind down from all that!

 

In my experience, flying east is no problem until you come home then it catches up with you. There's something that makes your butt hurt sitting for a gazillion hours with no layovers (at least I hope not as direct is the only way to fly).

[canuckgal]

Yes, that is what struck me about this story- trying to save a couple of hundred bucks to not have the night or 2 stay, but then having to spend HUGE bucks to get to the ship. (of course for some they are trying to save time off of work, which is a bit different).

 

Some friends of ours flew Calgary to Vancouver and then next day were off to Europe. But when they got to Vancouver, they discovered the passports were back home in Calgary. A friend had to break into their house and buy the passports a last minute plane ticket ($$$$) to get them there on time. But what "cost" them the most, was that they spent the rest of the trip fighting over whose fault it was!!

 

Ugh- this is the thread now when a noob asks "is this flight plan okay?" !!!

Edited September 26, 2012 by canuckgal

[janpa70]

What a story. I so agree we always get there the day before so we won't miss the ship. The sad thing is that some people will think that it won't happen to them. Me I would rather be safely on the ship then sitting on the dock.

[Lou33]

Two years ago, we did a cruise out of Barcelona, and our flight from San Francisco to London was cancelled because of mechanical problems. The only option that they gave us was to take the same flight 24 hours later. In our case, we would have missed the ship if we had planned to be there a day in advance. But luckily, we were planning on spending 3 nights in Barcelona, so we missed just one day there.

 

Some people may view getting to the port a day early as an extra expense, but I see it as extending our vacation. Many times the departure ports are great places to spend a few days. Another benefit is it gives you a chance to work out the jet lag. Barcelona was certainly one of the highlights of our trip. I wish we didn't miss our 3rd day there, but that would not be nearly as bad as missing the ship.

[ibcnusoon]

No disrespect to OP but I don't think flying directly to a cruise departing the US is a good idea but one with an international flight is totally insane. Way too many variables as your story is unfolding.

 

I agree! Oh my, I wouldn't even fly in the DAY OF if the flight from the US went straight to Barcelona!

[blindrid]

I agree! Oh my, I wouldn't even fly in the DAY OF if the flight from the US went straight to Barcelona!

 

In my experience, there is almost no excuse short of necessity.

 

Last year, my cruise (Louis) left Athens late on a Sat PM and due to time changes and the hassle of scheduling it became a hassle. We ended up getting to London with a huge layover so we toured London for 5 hours, got onto our flight and got into Athens at about 1:00 AM the day of our cruise. Slept a few hours in our hotel, got up toured the Parthenon, got onto a bus and hit our cruise at about 5:00.

 

I needed several drinks just to celebrate that we made it. There is just something wrong with flying 12 hours, losing 7 or 8 hours plus having an 8 hours layover and not expect anything to go wrong....... Now I know why I prefer Caribbean cruises.

[cassie55]

We're on the Dawn leaving Boston on the 5th of Oct. We're flying from London on the 2nd.

 

Even with 3 days I'm a little worried. I'm airline staff and we're flying standby. If a flight is cancelled then we won't get on due to the reprotections and although it's unlikely to happen, it's always a concern :(

[javaCruiser14]

update: Back to cruising, just booking extra days

[Barb Nahoumi]

Bwahhhh ha ha...you have me rolling, I need to fix dinner but I am waiting for the next part! :p Well at least I do speak 2 languages fluently and can muddle by in Spanish if they slow down!

 

Although this is an old thread, I just moved my breakfast near the computer so I can read the rest. BTW, my husband speaks 4 languages---English, Spanish, French and Portuquese.

 

The one time I booked a flight and cruise on the same day, we were so lucky that all went well. From then on we arrive near the port one or two days before.

[txskier]

this is funny.....reads like an "Amazing Race"

thanks